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"The vote shows that MEPs want to strike a balance between the interests of rights holders and those of consumers, and that big measures like cutting off internet access shouldn't be used," said Malene Folke Chaucheprat, a European Parliament spokeswoman, speaking to Information World<

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The plenary vote does not guarantee that such a system will not eventually be put in place, but is an indicator of the way that parliament is likely to vote on future legislation.

The vote was far from a unanimous decision, with 319 MEPs in favour of scrapping the proposed law, and 297 backing it.

A three strikes system, where users are banned from internet access by ISPs after being caught sharing copyrighted material three times, is backed by bodies such as the British Phonographic Institute.

However, critics believe that ISPs should not become "internet cops", and that the removal of internet access may even be a breach of human rights.

France already has similar laws in place, and could attempt to try pushing similar legislation through parliament again when it takes on the presidency of the EU later this year.